Commissioner of Education William L. Librera and Other
Education Leaders to Discuss Core Curriculum Content Standards and High
School Graduation Requirements at Forum in Princeton today at the Chauncey
Conference Center

TRENTON  Commissioner of Education William L. Librera is
joining other education leaders today as part of a two-day forum on standards
and graduation requirements at the Educational Testing Service Chauncey
Conference Center in Princeton.

The forum, hosted by the Department of Education, began Sunday at 1 p.m.
Commissioner Librera is attending todays morning session. Representatives
from professional educational organizations, content-area experts, higher
education and business leaders and parents are all scheduled to take part
in the forum.

Both days underscore the importance of reviewing high school graduation
requirements and their link to Core Curriculum Content Standards.

"This two-day forum allows educators the opportunity to pool together
their thoughts and build a consensus toward the future direction of high
school graduation requirements in our state," Commissioner Librera
said. "It is essential for the Department of Education to provide
a clear set of expectations for our students."

Media are welcome to attend the last session today from 2:30 p.m.
to 3:30 p.m. to hear a summation of the forum. Senior DOE officials will
be available to answer questions.

The forum will attempt to address the following questions:

What must all high school students know and be able to do when they
leave a New Jersey high school?

What should the relationship be between the Core Curriculum Content
Standards and what students should know when they leave a New Jersey
high school?

What are the recommended high school graduation requirements?

The forum allows participants to work in small, facilitated discussion
groups before bringing recommendations before the entire forum for consideration.
The goal is to develop a consensus about the future direction of the standards,
namely how to link them to high school graduation requirements.